The lawsuit seeks an injunction to stop Microsoft from selling Windows Vista, due out to consumers next year, until the technology
is removed. It was filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle.

The dispute is over a technology that allows operating systems to handle large
amounts of data.

Symantec, based in Cupertino, Calif., acquired the technology through its acquisition
of Veritas Software Corp. last year. Veritas and Microsoft had
signed a licensing agreement, but Symantec claims the terms were violated.

In a statement released by its public relations firm, Microsoft said the lawsuit
stems from "a very narrow disagreement over terms of a 1996 contract with
Veritas" and that the company had tried unsuccessfully to resolve it out
of court. Microsoft called the lawsuit's claims unfounded.

Symantec, which makes software to protect computers from Internet
attacks, has traditionally been a Microsoft partner. But Microsoft is preparing
to release its own Internet security products, pitting the software giant directly
against Symantec and others.